Transporting an incapacitated or injured person to a hospital or other treatment facility is often an essential part of providing proper medical care. An ambulance, helicopter, or other similar vehicle is well-known for such transport. However, in some instances, such as when the injured person is in a forested area, on an embankment, or on a battlefield, transport vehicles may have difficulty accessing the location of the injured person. In such cases, the injured person is typically first transported from the injury site to the ambulance (or other rescue vehicle) and thereafter taken to the hospital or other treatment facility. Lightweight and easily deployable stretchers, litters, and other similar devices are generally known for facilitating such casualty movement. To help prevent further injury, these devices generally include restraints or straps to immobilize the injured person during transport.
The present inventor has recognized some disadvantages with such lightweight stretchers. For instance, during use of the stretcher, the straps typically extend transversely across the stretcher and are tightly cinched to restrain the person on the stretcher. One disadvantage of this configuration is that the injured person is primarily restrained via the compressive force of the tightened straps, which may complicate or exacerbate existing injuries. In addition, while transverse straps may help prevent the injured person from rolling off the sides of the rescue stretcher, such straps are not particularly well-suited for preventing the person from sliding toward the top or bottom ends of the stretcher. Preventing this movement is a great concern during certain evacuation scenarios, such as air-lift rescue operations or transport on sloped terrains, where gravitational forces pull the injured person and may cause sliding off the top or bottom ends of the stretcher.
In addition, many lightweight stretchers lack sufficient support or padding for the injured person to minimize the potential of causing further injury during transport. For example, during some rescue operations, the injured person may be dragged across rough terrain (e.g., rocks, rubble, or other debris) on the lightweight stretcher. Without padding, the debris may cause discomfort and possibly further injury as the injured person is dragged through the debris. Moreover, many lightweight stretchers are not sufficiently sturdy or otherwise equipped to support air lift evacuations while firmly restraining the victim in the rescue stretcher to avoid causing further injury.
Accordingly, the present inventor has recognized a need for an improved rescue stretcher that offers adequate securement straps to arrest movement along the top, bottom, and sides of stretcher, offers attachment points to facilitate air lift evacuations, and provides protective support for the injured person during. In addition, the present inventor has recognized a need for an improved rescue stretcher specifically adapted for rescue in confined spaces. Additional aspects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.